Text Size

-

+

reset

Haley introduces Romney at CPAC 2013

After winning a nasty 2010 primary with heavy tea party support and Sarah Palin’s blessing, Haley encountered the complex realities of governing without the full support of her own party. A hacking scandal that exposed millions of taxpayers’ financial data, her contentious dealings with the legislature, and high unemployment in the Palmetto State have taken a toll on the 41-year-old’s popularity.

Though she remains the favorite for reelection next year — South Carolina is solid Republican territory, and the employment picture has brightened lately — polling suggests Haley is not a shoo-in for a second term.

Haley will face off in a rematch against moderate Democratic state Sen. Vincent Sheheen, who lost by less than five points in 2010 despite that being a banner year for Republicans.

Haley is “not in trouble, but there is going to be a contest — Vincent Sheheen has a real chance,” said Scott Huffmon, who conducts the Winthrop Poll within the state. “He still has the uphill battle because he’s in a red state, but this is not fait accompli.”

Haley notched a 45 percent approval rating in a Winthrop poll last month, while 39 percent of voters disapproved of her job performance. That was an improvement from December, when her numbers were 38-41. In April 2012, her approval-disapproval ratings were even at 47 percent.

The first-term governor’s tenure has had no shortage of controversy, but perhaps her biggest headache has been a massive hacking of a state computer system that divulged financial information of some 3.8 million residents and 700,000 businesses.

Haley and her administration came under fire for waiting more than two weeks after the September incident to inform the public. Haley initially said no one was to blame for what happened, but later acknowledged that state officials didn’t do enough to protect residents’ information. The state offered free credit monitoring to residents — but jammed phone lines kept many of them from signing up.

In November, Haley went before cameras to announce the state revenue department chief would resign. And the reverberations continue: Led by Sheheen, the state Senate last month moved to set up a compensation fund for hacking victims who suffer a loss from their stolen data. And the tab to tighten security of state computer systems is in the tens of millions of dollars and growing.